My Alpha's Mark

24 Pretend

Kacie

I hear Clara sigh and shuffling and feet drop to the floor. She’s clearly disappointed and a part of me feels good that he rejected her. For a second there I doubted him, I questioned him, I was heartbroken over something that hadn’t happened.

Guilt floods my chest, I had no doubt in my mind that he chose her, that he was cheating on me. What about the whole mate stuff she was talking about?

If she’s telling the truth, Viktor has two mates. Do we have to live together? Do we share him? Or does he have to choose between the two of us?

My heart thumps harder at the thought of him choosing between us. I bite my lip and try to gather the strength to turn the knob on the door and open it.

“Chin up, Kacie,” Athena encourages me.

I lift my chin and ignore the shake in my hands as I reach for the doorknob. I take in a deep breath and turn the handle before pushing open the door.

The door opens with a swoosh and my eyes land on Clara standing next to a sitting Viktor. Their heads turn to me, Viktor’s eyes widen as he watches me walk in.

My eyes focus on the person standing beside him, I study her for a moment. When I lived with Alpha Ken, I wasn’t able to go out much, I wasn’t even allowed to go to school. My only friend was Diana.

My eyes travel up her body. Clara’s skirt is see-through, her midriff flat and her navel pierced. Her tube top shirt is sheer, even though she’s clothed she’s practically naked.

My eyes take in her face, her eyes the clearest blue I’ve ever seen, her beautiful hair falls effortlessly just above her shoulders.

Clara is breathtakingly beautiful.

She doesn’t even look ashamed at almost being caught making a move on my mate. She looks entertained.

He must see the pain reflected in my eyes because the next second Viktor jumps up and strides over to me blocking her from my view. Raising my eyes to him, I don’t bother hiding any of my emotions from him.

His face softens when he searches my face, his hand reaching out to cup my cheek, the other on my waist. Viktor pulls me to him and I fight the habit to look down.

“We need to talk,” I say quietly but as firmly as I can. Behind him, Clara has taken a seat and is staring back and forth between us.

Viktor remains silent.

“I think this is about her as much as it is about me,” Clara calls from behind me and Athena is biting at the bits. She’s on edge with this whole situation and us walking in even though she begged me not to.

She’s forced to deal with this situation even though I know she’s hurting right now. Athena has been Team Viktor from the beginning and having this woman so close to him is tearing her confidence down.

“You’re not supposed to be here little mate,” Viktor tells me quietly.

He stands in front of me, and my body instantly craves him. With everything that’s going on I’m conflicted, my heart and mind want two different things. Knowing that she’s still here is like a slow stab in my heart, piercing deeper and deeper every minute she’s here.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” he says again.

Viktor gives me a strained smile and starts to pull me into him. His arm snakes around me and pulls my head flush against his chest.

The beat of his heart thump-thumping fast against my ear. Is it beating for me? Or is it Clara that’s making his pulse quicken?

Athena whines and wants to curl up in his arms. A big part of me wants to give in as easily as she has. I want to pretend that Clara isn’t here, that I didn’t just hear a part of what happened in the meeting.

I want to pretend that I didn’t hear Clara tempt him with my own ears, not even minutes before I opened the door. Athena’s cries make me strong for both of us.

I swallow before pushing him away from me. My savior’s eyes widen and his brows furrow in confusion as he stares down at me.

I sidestep Viktor and face Clara head-on. She’s a new element with an unknown origin, is she destined to fit in here or is she destined to wreak havoc and cause storms of pain? Is she a lesson in disguise?

She returns my gaze with confidence but I’m determined not to back down. “What do you want from all of this?” I ask. “Is there a reason you’re here?”

She cocks her head and shoots Viktor a glance.

“Do you really love him? Is this lust?” I turn so that they’re both within my view.

She stays silent.

“Did you see me in this vision of yours? What were you expecting to happen when you appeared? What’s supposed to happen to me?” I almost cry. I keep my voice calm even though I feel anything but.

The edges of her mouth curl up in a mocking smile, but when I speak next, the smile disappears.

“You want Viktor to love you?” I ask.

She blinks and glances away, and for a split second, I see uncertainty flash across her features.

“I’m upset that you’re here,” she says in an upset tone of voice, as though I wasn’t here first, as if she has a valid reason to be upset with me. “That wasn’t supposed to be the case. You weren’t a part of my visions and I’m not sure why I didn’t see you.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” I respond, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “Sorry for being here and wanting to find happiness,” I say between clenched teeth.

I’ve never yelled at someone before but I fight the urge to do so now. I’ve never wanted to lash out at someone before and I know it’s not her fault. I do but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt to see her here with him.

Viktor remains silent by my side.

Clara shakes her head. “What if the roles were reversed? What if when you met Viktor he was already with someone by his side? Someone he claimed to love, claimed was his mate, and wouldn’t give you the time of day? Your heart reaches for him but he won’t even touch me!”